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OGGO Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 80
Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 3:33 p.m. to 5:43 p.m.
Televised
Presiding
Kelly McCauley, Chair (Conservative)

Library of Parliament
• Lindsay McGlashan, Analyst
• Ryan van den Berg, Analyst
As an individual
• John Ossowski
Canada Border Services Agency
• Erin O'Gorman, President
Treasury Board Secretariat
• Minh Doan, Chief Technology Officer of the Government of Canada
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
• Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director
• Ryan Thorpe, Investigative Journalist
Democracy Watch
• Duff Conacher, Co-founder
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, October 17, 2022, the committee resumed its study of the ArriveCAN application.

Erin O’Gorman and John Ossowski made statements and, with Minh Doan, answered questions.

It was agreed, — That the committee request responses to the following questions from:

  1. Erin O’Gorman:
    1. What did the CBSA do in response to Botler, on September 27, 2021, informing the CBSA to immediately stop payments to the contractor and requesting a refund of any amounts already paid;
    2. Is GC Strategies named on the Botler task authorization;
    3. Did the CBSA suggest that payments for the task authorization should flow through Coradix or GC Strategies, then on to Botler;
    4. How much did the CBSA grant in additional contracts to GC Strategies, Coradix, and Dalian after the report on September 27, 2021;
  2. Minh Doan:
    1. How many projects with GC Strategies as either a contract or subcontract were approved under your term as CIO at the CBSA;
    2. What is the total of the contracts referenced in point 1;

and that all responses be submitted to the committee no later than thirty days following the adoption of this motion.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

ORDERED, — That the clerk inform the Canada Border Services Agency that the committee sends for:

a) all emails sent or received by Erin O’Gorman, John Ossowski, or Minh Doan that use the words “Firth, Anthony, or GC Strategies” from March 2020 to present;

b) the calendars of Erin O’Gorman, John Ossowski and Minh Doan from March 2020 to present

c) the names of the six Directors General who worked for Minh Doan, and any emails they sent or received that contain the words “Firth, Anthony, or GC Strategies” from March 2020 to present;

and that all documents be provided to the committee no later than thirty days following the adoption of this motion.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 4:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:36 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Duff Conacher and Franco Terrazzano made statements and answered questions.

Motion

Garnett Genuis moved, — That the committee report to the House this motion of censure, expressing strong disapproval of testimony given by Erin O’Gorman on November 14, 2022, and by John Ossowski on December 8, 2022. In an apparent breach of the committee’s privileges, Mr. Ossowski definitively and inaccurately denied any contact with Christian Firth and Ms. O’Gorman failed to share information at the committee about an RCMP investigation despite knowing about the investigation at the time.

At 5:36 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:39 p.m., the sitting resumed.

It was agreed, — That the committee would set aside additional time on Thursday, October 26, 2023, to discuss the motion moved on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, by Garnett Genuis.

At 5:43 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Aimée Belmore
Clerk of the committee